Nina Græger

En fremtidig vernepliktsordning. Anbefaling fra vernepliktsutvalget 2015

From ‘forces for good’ to ‘forces for status'?: Small state military status-seeking

In the field of security and defencece states seek and maintain status internationally and political support nationally by pursuing a competitive defence policy through defence procurement and military contributions to international peacekeeping and military operations. Status is here understood as issue-specific and relational, which means that which military ‘hardware’ gives status is contextual and may change over time. Whereas the literature has tended to focus on the status-seeking of great powers, this chapter focuses on small powers. Drawing on the case of Norway it asks: To what extent have troop contributions and procurement policy been sought converted into status? How has status-seeking or status-driven activity in this field been communicated to domestic and international audiences, and with what results? Is status within defence compatible with the ‘soft-power’ status that Norway holds in development aid and peace facilitation – or might it jeopardize the latter? The chapter shows how also small states use ‘hard’ capabilities and resources in status-seeking activities internationally and vis-à-vis central allies. Although a competitive defence policy is important for status-seeking and can enhance the status of small states that have resources, status trade-offs in other policy fields should also be expected.

Security. EU–NATO Relations: Informal Cooperation as a Common Lifestyle

The European Union has developed and strengthened its relations with various international organisations as part of its ambitious foreign and security policy agenda, including with NATO. EU-NATO relations have been studied in several ways, including through the lens of their meaning for both organisations’ performance in the field. The current chapter departs from a different angle by looking at the long-term effects of EU/NATO interactions, where the focus is on the everyday practices – and not on one-shot performances or fulfilment of pre-set goals – of both organisations, whether formal or informal. In particular, it studies how the political paralysis in the formal cooperation between the EU and NATO under the ‘Berlin Plus’ agreement has over time contributed to the strengthening of informal, ad hoc cooperation among diplomats, military personnel and the international staff of both organisations, in Brussels and in the field. These evolving EU-NATO informal practices seem to be detached from institutional or national belonging, with implications for the understanding of inter-organisational cooperation.

The Merging of Energy Security and Security: the Russia-Ukraine disputes and the In Amenas Attack

The EU's performance with and within NATO: assessing objectives, outcomes and organisational practices

The chapter analyses the EU’s performance as a security actor in the context of NATO, both in institutional cooperation with NATO, and when acting as a bloc of member states within NATO. Departing from a definition of “performance” as the ability to achieve pre-set objectives (effectiveness) in an efficient, relevant and viable manner, we observe that the EU’s performance in the context of NATO remains limited. This could be seen as a reflection of underlying political divergences between the two organisations, hampering systematic and formalised intra-institutional cooperation, as well as effective cooperation between the EU member states in NATO. More importantly, it has resulted in the emergence of informal and ad hoc EU practices in the context of EU-NATO cooperation as well as parallel EU and NATO practices

The EU and NATO: Partners, Rivals and Reciprocal Arenas

Europa i endring - fase 2: 2013-17: Faglig og tematisk grunnlag

Europa i endring - fase 2: 2013-17. Faglig og tematisk grunnlag

Plannotat for utlysning av nytt forskningsprogram. Notatet skisserer bredde og dybde i temaer, koplinger og problemstillinger som gruppa mener er relevant for forskning på europeiske endringsprosesser og Norges rolle i Europa, innen det mandatet som Divisjonsstyret har satt opp. Også oversatt ti engelsk med tittel "Europe in Transition : 2013-17: Academic and thematic basis".